Blog

In addition to my previous thoughts on adding my image into a sequence, I decided to marry that idea by having not the whole image step forwards and backwrds but just the parts where my shadow fell, so the closer part of me was to the work those pixels under that shadow would be pixels from futher down the timeline. Complicated to explain yes(i will try again with a more concrete example soon).

I decide it would be beneficial to have some video where the basic structure stayed the same so I started looking for time-lapse imagery. I came upon a sequence of a tree taken over a year, this seemed like an ideal candidate for some tests.

Explanation take 2. – the tree is set in a wintery scene, it branches are barren and snow lies on the ground. As a person walks towards the image of the tree their form appears in the image. But not as a captured video likeness as a silhouette. As the viewer moves closer there image becomes larger but silhouette is becoming more defined it holds the scene from a different season. Pushing forward until the tree is fully leaved.

Maybe the video will help.

I found this work to be quite enjoyable to interact with. It looked interesting but as it was an almost random piece of footage it was really just a bit of a gimmick. For this to work for me there should be an idea behind the footage I treat like this. But as a proof of concept it worked.

My first interactive idea to explore was to enable the viewer to scrub through some footage. I’m interested to see if this is more engaging than just viewing a straight piece of media. My first test will be using a piece of footage of my family fleeing their house in the 67 Bush fires. (I’m in the basinet, my hand does appear for 1 solitary frame)

I intend to use the distance sensor in the Kinect to allow the viewer to scrub through the footage to see if being in control of the media that is having your presence their affecting the content help to engage the user more.

Japans earthquake and the media attached to it was incredibly emotional and captivating, sitting in the comfort of my lounge watching this play out what part does/should the media play in these disasters is it important to watch this unfold ? am I some how connected to these people part of a global conscience of concern and empathy trying to reach out, or just another unwanted voyeur ? People want the world to understand what they are going through but how much does the media facilitate this an how much is it just a grab for sensationalism.

I’m reminded of my own tiny bit of “disaster” footage. A few seconds of news from the 1967 bushfires I’m a baby in a basinet being loaded into the car as the wind and smoke whips at my mothers dress. Our house survived, but the neighbouring ones didn’t, the fire was so intense the chooks burst into flames as they ran fled across the yard.

My mothers recollection of the media in this event was far from favorable at one stage she yelled at the camera man to put down his camera and help with the fires, this was show later on the news (with no sound) portraying her as a paniked woman screaming at the camera. 13 years as a fire fighter an I never welcomed the cameras and neither did the people trying to come to terms with there loss.

These few seconds of footage has always been important to be and I contemplated how I could use this in a work. I had have spent much time scrubbing this footage back and forth mesmerised by the grainy image. Being in control of the playback somehow made me  a part of it. Part of that moment, and the more I played the more it drew me in. just watching the footage was nothing in comparison. Could I some how give this experience to the viewer ? Would it mean anything to someone else would they feel like they were there ? Does the act of directly controlling the viewing experience lead to a deeper attachment ?

Other than experimenting with the Kinect this semester if completely open. I have no preconceived ideas of where this will go or even ideas of a specific work I may want to undertake. Not requiring an out come is completely freeing. Usually I would be concerned about what I may have time to achieve, in what form will it take is that possible given resources etc.

Obviously there are ideas I think the Kinect will be suited to exploring. Those of interaction with the viewer. And the idea that the Kinect offers a new way of seeing.

A couple of interesting starting places but thats it.

Where do I sit ? Who are my peers ?

I am mostly interested in games technology and how it can be used in an Art context. Although impressed with the quality of games graphics and the immersive worlds they create I’m slightly disappointed that more hasen’t been done in this field.

Although I am inspired by many digital artists there are few interactive artworks that I am completely captivated by.

Olafur Eliasson is one of my favorite artists. I love his use of colour and his simple but engaging imagery. He also explores the interaction of the viewer and the artwork. With Notion Motion (image below), people moving through the gallery caused ripples on the water wich then affects the light reflecting of it to redefine the space of the gallery.

Projection art is the medium I’m most interested in, I like how it can take over a space (and not necessarily traditional art spaces) I like the vibrance you can get when painting with light and I like that it can be used do display still, animated video and generative artworks.

More inspiring projection artists.

Craig Walsh

The image below is from Craig Walsh’s Cross Reference, where people looking into the windows and doors of a model warehouse are projected into the actual warehouses doors and windows. I chose this work to show here as it embeds the viewer in to the work,(helping t0 expose the connection between the viewer and the artwork) a theme I’m interested in exploring.

My final artist of interest is Tony Ousler. An artist who often projects on to sculptural froms. The image below is of a miniature projection. Until discovering these works I was of the opinion that projections needed to be huge to have impact where as the intimacy of these works is in some ways can draw you in as powerfully as much larger works. This work also gave me more confidence  in the small light and projection works I was exploring last year.